Awaken to Pleasure - By Nalini Singh Page 0,44

her want to squeeze and stroke and just plain old touch! She bit her lower lip as heat pooled in her stomach and spread throughout her body, fingers of flame that enticed and urged.

"What're you thinking?" she asked softly, shifting to kneel on the bed. Her frivolous and decadently short white nightie, part ofJackson's gift, brushed her upper thighs. The tiny hairs on her bare arms rose in anticipation.

"Hmm?" He walked over to stand in front of her kneeling form. "The call this morning was about our newest picture.Britnee Case is demanding another million."

She raised a brow. "That girl's not worth it."

He nodded. "But she's the only one David wants."

"Hmm." She ran a finger up his washboard stomach, still slightly damp. "Can you replace David?"

He slid his hands through her unbound hair. In the heat, she would've preferred to put it up, but she was well aware that her husband liked to play with it. And she wanted to please her husband, the way he pleased her.

Deep inside, she was afraid that he found her wanting. He always had to hang onto his control because, despite everything, she wasn't quite able to make love without fear yet. Groundless fear. He would never hurt her - she just had to remember that and she'd be fine.

"No, he's too valuable," he said. "The last movie he directed is the hot favorite for several Golden Globes. Even more important," he admitted wryly, "his films make money."

Something floated up from her subconscious. "David's proud of his rep as a straight arrow. Drop a few hints that if you meetBritnee's demands, it might look like you were doing favors for the director's lover.

He'll either talkBritnee around or get another actress."

"Lover?" His voice was becoming husky.

Screwing up her courage, she licked his stomach. Impossibly, the muscles tightened even more.

"Uh-huh. A little birdie told me."

"Taylor, you're an excellent source of information and you haven't even been in the business for a year."

His hand fisted in her hair, a heavy weight that told her he liked what she was doing.

Used to the way he played with her hair, she found the gesture possessive butnonthreatening . "I kept in touch with the staff I met while working for you." Her real objective had been to keep track of him, but gossip of all sorts had flowed to her. She'd be useful to him in that way as she had no intention of letting those contacts lapse. "Is using that kind of stuff unethical?"

"Not when she's blackmailing us with the location shoot scheduled to start in three days."

"Umm." Just to see if she could, she tried to take a bite out of his firm stomach. There wasn't enough excess flesh to do so.

He tugged at her hair. When she glanced up, he said, "Only if you want to, piccola . I am in no hurry."

She was shocked that he understood her fears. "I want to be the woman you need."

"You are. Everything about you pleases me."

The simple statement rebuilt her confidence and the look in his eyes reignited her desire. "How much do you exercise to stay like this?" She kissed her way halfway up his chest, relieved to be allowed to just touch his body, without expectations or demands.

He tugged her head up with the hand clenched in her hair, dark eyes indulgent in a way that she'd only ever seen in bed. When he looked at her like that, she wanted to lay herself down for his delectation.

"I always kept fit but after Bonnie began to cheat, I did it obsessively. Better than becoming an alcoholic." His smile was tight.

Bonnie, she thought with an inward flare of anger, had a lot to answer for. "And now?"

"Habit. Once a day or at least once every two. Why?"

"Can I watch?" she found herself asking, admitting to a secret fantasy that was at once exciting and scandalous.

"Watch?" He was aroused under the towel. In fact, she had no idea how the soft white fabric was staying in place.

"You, working out. Do you wear a T-shirt?" She saw him swallow. Her heartbeat accelerated.

"Sometimes. Do you want me to?" Rough and dangerous, his tone told her that she'd be well loved tonight.

If she wanted to be loved.

His hunger for her was a heady aphrodisiac that made her fight her fears. "No. I want to see you sweat."

He groaned. "Taylor, I hope you're trying to seduce me because if you're not, we're in big trouble."

She laughed and stood up on the bed,